The Vampire Diaries 4.3 "The Rager" Review

Tyler (Michael Trevino) is attacked in hospital and is paralyzed whilst his blood is taken.  Damon (Ian Somerhalder) comments on Stefan's (Paul Wesley) midlife crisis, but since it's been 164 years, he's due one. He knows the vampire hunter, Connor (Todd Williams) has poison in a bottle and Damon just wants to eat him.  But Damon knows he's not wanted here anymore.  Stefan reminds him he blood shared with Elena (Nina Dobrev) and so Stefan punched him.  It's almost as if Elena is being drawn to bad boy Damon now that she's become a vampire herself.  She's struggling to retain Stefan's fave word, her "humanity."

Elena drinks Matt's (Zach Roerig) blood.  It's her senior year and she wants to be here.  The town is under a curfew.  Klaus (Joseph Morgan) heard of Tyler's attack and duty calls.  He's brought hybrid bodyguards for him since he can't make any more hybrids.

Elena is ready to cry for Alaric during first period until Rebekah (Claire Holt) shows up inviting everyone to a curfew party.  Elena and Rebekah engage on some bitch, er I mean pencil fighting, stabbing.  Really?  Elena hates Rebekah.  That dislike was apparent before but now she's become a vampire it's intensified and become hatred.

Elena sees Connor at school and Rebekah sends in Heather (Nicci Fairies) to tempt Elena with blood.  Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) saw the Connor's tattoo, it's a "hunter's mark" and it's invisible to all except a hunter.  He knows Jeremy's family history.  That'd be a story wouldn't it, pitching Jeremy against Elena, if it ever transpired.  The hunter agrees to train Jeremy.

Damon shows up at Connor's trailer and is caught in a trap, a bomb trap, er so vampires can be blown to smithereens, I jest.   Stefan suggests they skip school and head to the party.  He tells Caroline (Candace Accola) how Elena must channel her emotions into rage and confront it before she can let it go.  Wouldn't Caroline already know this if Stefan helped her when she became a vampire.  Seems Damon has the right intentions on how to make Elena became a vampire.

Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) shows up to see Tyler and he's keeping her a secret from Caroline, so much for hybrid honesty.  She helped him break his sire bond.  Damon calls Meredith (Torrey DeVitto) for help and she tells him to stop "being proud and stubborn" and make up with Stefan and Elena before he's left alone;  instead of calling her, Damon: "...oh look you're already here."  He shows her Young's letter stating, "a greater evil is coming."  As we get all cryptic again.

Connor threatens Matt and he tells her Rebekah is a vampire.  Elena pretends to look for Damon's bourbon to give her the strength to go to the party,  he's no fool.  He knows she's looking for the ash stake.  Jeremy told him about the hunter. As once agian Damon proceeds to undress!!  Tyler gets rid of Caroline when she wants to get way with him.

April tells Elena her father's death was no accident and Rebekah takes Elena's daylight ring making Elena even more angry. Stefan can't stop her staking Rebekah but she'll kill every vampire Rebekah ever turned in  the process.  He thinks guilt will destroy Elena and he's a big one on guilt.  Klaus and Damon go after Connor and lure him into a trap at the hospital with Jeremy's help.  He's trapped in his own bomb and this hunter has werewolf in him.

Rebekah hallucinates at the party and sees Matt telling her she had a thousand years to learn and she threw it away.  She's alone now and doesn't deserve love.  Damon mentions the "great evil" and didn't think there was anything more evil than Klaus.   Klaus sees a sign on his stake and remarks he's "one of the five."  Elena thinks of Damon and being more like Damon as a vampire than Stefan.  Klaus arrives to heal Elena who was infected with werewolf blood when she drank beer at the party.  He doesn't want anything from Stefan but Elena can be of use to him still.

Lockwood (Susan Walters) calls off the curfew after Damon tells her the hunter was killed in the explosion and Stefan tells Caroline of how he enjoyed the rush and fears becoming the ripper.  He doesn't want to hold Elena back.  Caroline is a good vampire cos of Stefan and she won't let him lose control.

Elena has violent thoughts driven by hunger and can't stop feeding off Matt, causing Damon to rescue him.  Then compels him to forget.  She must learn how to be a vampire and he'll teach her.  Klaus is surprised Connor doesn't know his own history but he'll be the most well protected vampire hunter in town.

Elena understandably will be raging all over the place, to use the title, in comparison to how Elena the human used to be.  So at the first sign of being taunted by Rebekah Elena overreacts.  Her first 'heightened' emotion is one of hate and being new to the vampire game and how to be one, she reacts by wanting to stake Rebekah.  Not thinking about anyone else, the vampires she's turned and all the rest of it and well, that only affects them cos they're vampires, humans wouldn't care.  Stefan wants to teach her his way and Damon wants to teach her his own way so once more we're still getting that triangle.  Even if Damon did compel her to choose Stefan, he can't stay out of it.

For more, season 4 seems to be a little slow finding its feet and storyline direction, as we seem to be covering old ground now with Elena as the vampire.  How to feed, when to stop, control herself.  With the brothers still at odds with each other over her.  Another vampire hunter in town, what took him so long?

Breast Cancer Care Show With QVC

October marks a very important event in the calender referring of course to Breast cancer Awareness Month.  So every year the Breast Cancer Care fashion show is held, with survivors of this terrible disease attending and having a chance to shine in the limelight and also a time to raise awareness as well as funds.

October 3rd saw the star studded event take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London's Park Lane.  QVC gave some lucky viewers the opportunity to attend this amazing event during lunchtime.

Hosted by Olympic champion Denise Lewis,

Here's Denise rehearsing;

With Joe McElderry providing the musical entertainment.

Also taking part in the fashion show itself was QVC presenter Ali Keenan.

Also present were the wonderful and funny QVC presenter Debbie Flint.  Along with Pippa Gordon and Will Gowing.  Had a great chat with Debbie as she was seated near us but not with Will, which was a shame.

It was an exceptional day with Silent Auctions, raffles, to ensure we all do our bit for this worthy cause.

Downton Abbey Series 3 Episode 7 Review

Bates (Brendan Coyle) was released this week and finally arrived home, much to the pleasure of Robert (Hugh Bonneville) who was overjoyed to welcome him back and agreed to get him a cottage and to settle him back in quick smart.  Seeing as he'll be returning to his valet duties now.  Leaving Thomas (Rob James-Collier) in the lurch.  Thus he had nothing to lose when passion finally overcome him.  That and O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) telling him how much James (Ed Speleers) talks about him.  Thus he snuck into James's room, just as Albert (Matt Milne) was arriving back from the pictures and caught the two of them kissing.
Actually it was one sided and of course, James won't be telling anyone, not until he gets found out obviously.

The Dowager (Maggie Smith) took it upon herself to tell Isabel (Penelope Wilton) that Ethel (Amy Nuttall) should go her own way and should find another job.  With her repeat remark of Ethel having many suits to "fit all occasions."  This was further reinforced by her seeing Ethel in tears when she came from the grocer's shop.  Edith's (Laura Carmichael) job came up again as it would and she got the Dowager on side by saying she wanted her to do something and this is it.  The Dowager agrees only in return for a favour. This being advertizing a position for Ethel.  Anyone could tell Edith and the editor would have an attraction.  Wonder if he's married, no one said.

Obviously Robert was still against the job offer, as well as many other things, including Matthew's (Dan Stevens) proposals which resulted in the resignation of foreman, Jarvis (Terence Harvey). A man who has been around since the time of the Dowager's husband.  So naturally Matthew couldn't put a foot right, as he once again accused Robery of letting the estate being left to fall to pieces.  Robert once again convincing him it was the result of bad investments.  Matthew reminding him, not too subtly, that he also used up Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) money in the process.

Matthew thought of having the farm up and running and Robert refused to go into competition with the other farmers.  With Branson (Allen Leech) reminding us again that his grandfather was a sheep farmer.  When Cora and the Dowager decided he should work at the farm instead of living above a garage with his daughter.  Cora saying it was what Sybil would have wanted.  Robert accepting on the condition that Cora and the Dowager would admit they were wrong if things go haywire.  With the Dowager adding, that's easy as she's "never wrong."

Speaking of Branson his brother, Kieran (Ruiari Conaghan) turned up this week showing just how uncouth the rest of the family is, ha.  He even wanted to have dinner with servants instead of with Cora and the family and Branson sopke up for his mother-in-law which was music to Carson's (Jim Carter) ears!

Alfred took Ivy (Cara Theobold) out, much to Daisy's (Sophie McShera) chagrin and Ivy told him if James doesn't have any feelings for her, then maybe the two of them could have something. Which led Albert to Jame's room at that time of night and chancing upon Thomas there too.  Of course Albert would tell Carson what he saw, leading him to have yet more moral judgements to make.  Last time it was about Ethel, this time about Thomas and his 'alternate' lifestyle, which as we know was a criminal offence at that time.  Carson leaving it up to James to decide whether to call the police or not.  Er, seems just as one Downton servant has no sooner got out of prison that another one's fate hangs in the balance.  Being the last episode next week, seems the police will be called, not to mention Thomas will be out of a job anyway, so that was 'convenient.
But what of O'Brien let's see her get her comeuppance too for all her scheming otherwise it hardly seems fair.

Matthew thinks they can't have children cos of his war injury with Mary (Michelle Dockery) trying to convince him it's not.  The looks on her face somehow gives the feeling it might be her.

So much for the women standing by Ethel last episode over their luncheon and this episode, the Dowager insists on sweeping Ethel under the carpet and having her shift off to London or somewhere, just so the village can get back to normal.  It seems that way.  Didn't like the way in which Thomas just burst into James's room and kissed him when he's sleeping, if  O'Brien, kept telling him how James was raving about Thomas, wouldn't he have woken him up, or at least spoken to him, instead of charging in there without thinking.  The same with Albert bursting in on James like this just to ask about his intentions with Ivy.  Albert and James aren't friends, they don't even like each other, so Albert could have waited until morning.  Seems all of O'Brien's scheming has worked in her favour, not to mention the added bonus of actually having Albert walk in, without this being planned.

Seems the Crawley's were scheming themselves as far as Branson and the job of estate manager was concerned. Just to give him the position so Sybil would be raised in an environment they approve of.  Not to mention Branson accepting the job to begin with even if Robert turned up at the christening.

CSI:NY Clue:SI in Pics

The November 9 episode of CSI:NY, Clue:SI leads the CSIs on a game of Clue, or as we know it here, Cluedo.  Thought the show would have dome something along these lines a long time ago.  This time they investigate the murder of a psychiatrist's patients.  Wonder if they'll have us guessing whether it's Patient X in the park with a branch, ha.

Anyway some Eddie Cahill for our ogle-ment (okay no such word).

                                   

Just squint and you can just about see him alone. Ha

                                     
At least we'll also get to see Sela Ward, she's great and Gary Sinise.

Merlin 5.4 "Another's Sorrow" Review

Odin (Fintan McKeown) captures Rodor (James Fox) and Mithian (Janet Montgomery) with Morgana's (Katie McGrath) help.  As they plan on raiding Camelot as well as exacting revenge on Arthur (Bradley James).  Odin wants him for killing his son.  Which works both ways as Arthur seeks revenge on Odin for killing Uther.  Of course, let's all forget that Morgana had a hand in killing Uther too.  Mithian arrives at Camelot with her servant, Hilde.  Now anyone could recognize Morgana's chin, oh please.  She thought she'd do a 'Merlin' and don an old disguise with the use of magic, just as Merlin does with Dragoon.

Mithian arrives at Camelot, as said, doing her fainting act in the process, to be rescued by Leon (Rupert Young).  Mithian is attended to by Gaius (Richard Wilson) and then receives her audience before Arthur and Gwen (Angel Coulby) where she recounts her tale of escape and how her father needs help.  Of course Arthur won't resist the chance to help but also to exact revenge.  She later tells them she was captured too.

Merlin (Colin Morgan) once again warns him that this is too dangerous and once more Arthur ignores him.  Morgana has Mithian under lock and key literally and ensures she's not able to speak to anyone.  Even when Mithian manages to get away by taking the key from under a sleeping Morgana's hand, she is still caught.  Even Gwen can't help her.  Mind you, Gwen also has her reservations about Arthur and his rescue attempt and clears the air with him, reassuring herself that as long as he's going to help Rodor and not for any other reason, like say revenge again!  Does Morgana really need all this sleep?

Morgana accompanies them every step of the way and yet no one is oblivious as to how the old hag can keep up with them.  At one stage, her magic almost gives as she succumbs but manages to keep her old wig on and face!  Gaius examines her and finds she's in perfect health for an old hag and that she's in even better condition than he is, which he tells Merlin. still nothing dawns on them though.  Other than Merlin having his reservations before about the fear in Mithian's eyes and she and Hilde not being right.

Mithian tries to tell Merlin but Morgana doesn't let her guard down, always sneaking up on them.  Whilst in the woods, Leon also tries to tell Arthur to wait until Odin's patrol passes them as they are outnumbered, again Arthur refuses to listen to anyone else's counsel.  So where did Gwaine (Eion Macken) pop up from, as he wasn't seen with the others when they left.

Mithian gives Merlin her water bottle to fill and insists he fills her one up.  At the river, he sees 'Morgana' scrawled on a rock but too late, Morgana is already there and knocks him out with her powers, funny she still had any left.  Oh and Merlin rushing to warn Arthur like that, talk about giving the game away.  Arthur leaves Merlin behind with Gaius and Gwaine and continues with the rescue.

Gaius uses his magic to heal Merlin after sending Gwaine for firewood.  It takes him a lot of power and plenty of the lighting up of his eyes, but finally Merlin recovers and they head off to warn Arthur, with Gwaine following his trail.  Arthur enters the cave with Percival (Ian Hopper) and they are trapped by Odin.  Morgana revealing herself, "dear brother."   Merlin manages to get into the cave after a little use of magic and some sword fighting and sends Gwaine for the others.  Would've thought he'd be using a bit more magic.  Anyway he sets another quake in motion, seems to be his speciality and Arthur and Percival manage to fight them off.  Morgana once again being knocked back against the wall by Merlin.

Arthur and Merlin split up allowing Rodor and Mithian to take the other route and they fight Odin and his men.  Arthur wants a ceasefire and for him to return Nemeth to Rodor.  Finally setting this piece of an old story to rest, though to be honest many fans wouldn't even have remembered it or have been bothered with it.  But at least we got to see Arthur and Odin reach a tentative truce, let's see how long that lasts when Morgana finds out.  if she does.  Merlin is still weary of Morgana and her power growing with Gaius once again hoping it won't come to that.

It was a shame nothing more was made between Arthur and Mithian especially since Arthur was enamoured with her last season 4.11 The Hunter's Heart and was going to marry her.  He doesn't talk to Gwen about it and neither do the writers take it any further.  Clearly this is one story just about revenge.  Which is a pity as it's a wasted opportunity for Arthur's other feelings to be explored and it would have given Gwen something more to do than just walking about in her cleavage-revealing dress at court and then in her nightgown.

Morgana delighted in her antics this week in being just as cruel as ever, keeping a tight reign over Mithian, wonder if she knew about Arthur's intentions towards Mithian last series, also.  She could have made more of that to run waves between Gwen and Arthur.  The contrast between Morgana and Merlin when they disguise themselves in older attire and physique is enormous.  We see Merlin with still the strength of a young man and yet Morgana was practically stuck inside the body of an actual old woman, it appeared.  Thus probably highlighting their varied power.

Also another chance for Merlin and Arthur to have another heart to heart with Merlin once more telling Arthur he should not be on this rescue and Arthur saying much the same as always.  Think they need to move beyond this now and lay down some defining character points for the two.  Mithian telling Arthur the same thing Merlin does about Camelot being a stronger kingdom for having Arthur as king.

Yet it seems pointless that Morgana constantly requires help to come up with some sort of a plan to kill Arthur and ruin Camelot, or take it over, why not branch out on her own now anyway.
The death of Odin's son was in 2.2 The Once and Future Queen and Odin was meant to have killed Uther in 4.3 The Wicked Day.

Merlin giving Arthur an order that Mithian is not to be disturbed.
Arthur: "did you just give men an order?"
Merlin: "yes Sire."
Arthur: feels good does it?"
Merlin: "it's not unpleasant."  Merlin also calls him Arthur showing he's more confident in his friendship with Arthur who lets it go or doesn't say anything about him not calling him Sire.

Fintan McKeown was in Game of Thrones.  some good sword fighting scenes in this episode and Merlin asking Arthur to think about killing Odin.  He did that last season in 4.5 His Father's Son and Arthur went ahead and killed Annis's husband.  Here he actually stops and listens to Merlin.  Though he doesn't admit this to Merlin but tells Gwen that Merlin made some valid points and input.

CSI:Miami 10.15 "No Good Deed" Review

A surfer returns from surfing but as he is about to reach the shore, he is attacked from below and his board overturns.  He calls out for help from an oncoming speedboat, but the boat drives over him, twice.  The Vic is Henry (Patrick Breen) and ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) states the injuries were no accident.  He was attacked on his stomach first as he was trying to swim away and then he was attacked on his neck, with it being cleaved by the propeller, so his head barely hung off.  Horatio (David Caruso) says it was murder and they're looking for the boat, the boat was the murder weapon.

Delko (Adam Rodriguez) arrives when the boat is found and Horatio points to the presence of human flesh on the propeller.  The owner, Dylan Perez (Diego Serrano) turns up and says he left the keys in his boat when drunk and reported it missing this morning.  Delko finds grease on the steering which Dylan knows wasn't there in the night.  This grease is used in cars and trucks and not boats.

Calleigh (Emily Procter) and Delko arrive at the Vic's house to break the news to his son Sean (Matt Angel).  He is a speed racer and he was heard to argue with his father.  His father was a stickler for rules and didn't want Sean to cheat in the race.  He directs them to their neighbour, Connie (Cassidy Freeman) who tried to poison his dog with chocolate.  When they arrive at her house, Delko notices the chocolate wrappers in the bin and she tells them she wouldn't hurt Henry.  He was sweet but she had enough of the dog barking.

Connie is also a prostitute and tells them she has an alibi, Henry's colleague Will Kingsley (Danny Nucci).  He tells Ryan (Jonathan Togo) that Henry was good at his job and he was working on something that affected him.  They should talk to their boss, Jane Caldicott (Reshma Shetty).  Will also tells them they never throw anything away so they have a lot of files to check through.

Calleigh goes to Henry's house again and finds a bag which contains his shoes covered with green paint.  Ryan and Sam (Taylor Cole) analyze the files and Ryan suggests instead of going through each file they should see which one has most of Henry's prints on it.  They narrow it down to one file, Henry's prints and Jane's are on the file.  But only Jane's prints are inside the file, so she's been replacing papers.  Sam analyzes the paint to find it has a compound of copper, chromium and arsenic.

The owner Bob Scherner (Wolfgang Bodison) tells them to leave but Sam has a search warrant enabling them to collect soil samples.  Bob calls in his lawyer who tells him not to answer questions. So they set their sights on Jane. Bob bought land cheaply and then sold the houses for a premium.  Jane denies all this but she was about to make a deal with him and thus the paperwork in the file was altered.  Henry found out but she claims she would have written him a cheque.  Don't think Henry would have been bought at all.

Walter (Omar Miller) and Tripp (Rex Linn) bring in Henry's car and they hear a phone ring.  Funny how each of them looked at each other, do they all have the same ring tones on their phone.  The phone is Henry's and he has a voice message from a boy claiming he's been taken. All surveillance videos are checked by Dave (Wes Ramsey).  Henry spoke to a boy outside a cafe after he was sick. The boy was taken by a man who said he was his father and Henry followed them.  He was cut off by a driver.  Dave and Walter manage to make out the last numbers on the plate.  Henry also uses his bluetooth and a 911 call was made to report the boy's kidnapping.

Walter manages to find the number plate on the video and the car is found.  It belongs to another car and then he and Horatio notice the truck taking away another car.  Inside is a bag with the boy's ticket, a one way flight from Nicaragua, laxative and a phone.  Horatio posits the boy is being used as a drug mule and they must find him before he is skilled.

The tow truck driver at first claims not to remember, then says the man had a tattoo and drove into a diner.  Walter and Horatio find the boy and Horatio threatens to shoot the kidnapper.  Who refuses to tell them anything; with Horatio in his threatening stance once again.  Delko gives the name of a friend who can help him find work, since the driver was fired.  Then notices grease on his sleeve.  Delko finds that this was the same driver who had gotten in Henry's way and Henry had reported him.  The driver was fired for his driving and followed Henry since he gave his name.  He took the boat out and killed him, cos he lost everything.

Well he's lost even more now, didn't think of that.  Horatio tells him he murdered someone he didn't even know. Ryan catches Sam looking at his bracelet and suggests they go for a drink as they closed the case.  However her boyfriend arrives from the State Attorney's Office and she suggests they go for a drink together.  Ryan is clearly heart broken.  Well that's another blow for him,  first it was when he thought Delko was after Sam and now this.  So why'd she take the bracelet when Delko told her it was from Ryan and not even thank him for it.

Calleigh visits Sean and tells him his father was a hero.  He saved a boy, he saved the lives of people who would have lived on that development.  Sean is proud and finally finds tears for his father which he couldn't before.

The title of this episode says it all, 'no good deed,' goes unpunished.  So for all Henry's good deeds he had to have one catch up to him.  Turns out it was being killed by someone who he didn't even know, cos he was trying to help save a boy's life.  Natalia (Eva La Rue) was missing this episode.

Felt like this episode was a nit disjointed with the team running around separately ad having less interaction that usual.  Ryan and Walter didn't have any scenes this episode together.  Also Calleigh playing her 'caring' mother role again this episode as she tells Sean about his father being a hero in an attempt to get him to grieve.

Without A Trace 3.15 "Party Girl" Review

A rich girl talks with her publicist in her limo before disappearing from a party.

1 Hour Missing

Jack checks out the limo.  The driver, Tony Marcus was taken to hospital after being beaten up.  The missing girl was Chelsea Prince (Sofia Sokalov) the publishing heiress.  The driver called for help on the Onstar system.  On this he claims to being attacked by a lot of people, the window is smashed and one puts a gun to their head.  Jack )Anthony Lapaglia) says it sounds like a contract.  Sam (Poppy Montgomery) comments she was worth half a billion dollars.

2 Hours Missing

Her publicist, Liz Murray (Kali Rocha) isn’t sure what happened.  Everyone knew Chelsea would be here.  She was promoting their new make-up line, Gliteratti.  Chelsea didn’t attend the birthday party.  She sold her apartment and was living out of hotels.  Martin (Eric Close) asks if she had a boyfriend.  She was seeing  Mansoor (Marc Casabani) for a few months.  He’s married and owns various nightclubs in New York.

Chelsea taped the two of them together and he wanted the tape from her, if it got out it would ruin him.  He tells her people only hang out with her because she’s famous.  He’s married to millions.  Chelsea didn’t have any security since last week.

Danny (Enrique Murciano) talks with the man (Gregory Hinton) in charge of her security.  He was hired by her parents in 1989 as a private consultant.  Her parents died in a plane crash.  Danny asks him if she could have done this for publicity.  He doesn’t believe so.  Liz only had Chelsea as a client.  He also asks about obsessed fans and stalkers.  They brought in truckloads of fan mail.

12 Hours Missing

Chelsea’s finance manager tells Jack they have $200,000 million for a ransom demand.  Chelsea was in her uncle’s custody until she’d be 18 but he didn’t pay attention to her.  He’s also dead.  She used to do drugs.  Chelsea wanted money from Roberta, $100,000 and said it was important.  She gave it to her.  Jack asks if she’s being blackmailed.  Roberta says no but she’s been spoilt.

13 Hours Missing

Viv (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) reads magazines and fan mail.  The financial records of her driver don’t reveal anything.  Viv finds it unbelievable how Chelsea is idolized by so many young girls.  Martin comments it’s because she’s rich and beautiful.  Viv says she’s famous for being rich and beautiful.

Martin notices the live feed on the TV news showing Chelsea tied up.  The files on the Net were sent 15 minutes ago.  Her kidnapper has her saying a message:
"My name is Chelsea Prince and I don’t deserve to live – I’ve done nothing in my life, created nothing or accomplished nothing.  I’m only here now because I don’t exist unless I’m on camera."
Martin says the file was sent through an anonymous account running through a server in Ukraine.  They have other problems to deal with and so won’t be of help.  Jack notices asbestos so she’s in an old building, pre 1970’s.  She’s still wearing her ring which is worth $2 million.  The tech notices a pulsating light but doesn’t know what it is.  Jack comments this isn’t a professional kidnapping.  Martin calls it a personal vendetta.

Danny questions Mansoor and asks who kidnapped her?  He says she’s bad for society and bad for his marriage.  A few days later, Chelsea gave him the tape.  She told him to take her word there weren’t any copies.  She told him something happened today.  He recalls the date was Friday 28th January.

15 Hours Missing

Sam says she was at a book signing on the 28th, for her book, Looking Like A princess: A Girl’s Guide to Make-Up.  Viv can’t believe she also has a book out.

16 Hours Missing

The girl at the bookshop tells Danny and Sam that Chelsea was 2 hours late.  Scott (Keram Malicki-Sanchez) says a weird man spoke to her.  He showed her a photo of a girl, his sister.  Chelsea never answered her letter so she committed suicide by slitting her wrists.  He gave her copies of letters to read and asks if the girls there have heard of Maya Angelou or the Brontes and not every girl can look like Chelsea.  So what happens then?  Danny checks Chelsea’s hotel room for the letters.

17 Hours Missing

Sam sees Viv taking pills and asks her if she’s found any letters from a desperate 12 year old.  She says she’s found hundreds and thousands. Martin shows them a web site posting:
Chelsea Prince
Should Live or die
Deadline 09:00Am
Time Remaining  19:55.
They should make an informed decision by clicking onto clips from her life.  Viv comments the exploits of her life aren’t her best moments.  Martin says it could be the man from the bookstore seeking revenge, “an eye for an eye.”  They come in twos, such as Leopold and Loeb.  The tally begins:            
Die       59%        Live  49%

Sam says she's losing.

18 Hours Missing

Liz gives a press conference telling everyone she’s a real persona and she’s good..  Jack wants her to stop.  Danny and Jack question the driver.  He can’t think of anyone who’d want to kidnap her.  Danny asks how many knew her itinerary.  The two of them and her security.  He blacked out.  Danny replies he doesn’t recall how many there were.  He says they were wearing masks and was in and out, he doesn’t recognize the bookstore man.  Jack tells him he was attacked by one man.

Viv tells Liz only family members are allowed to make a plea in public.  She couldn’t let this happen.  Martin says they’re working on a programme where they can rig the voting and Liz asks why all the young girls aren’t voting?  She tells them when Chelsea get back to the car she was acting strangely.  She didn’t want to go the party and wanted out of this life.  She blames herself for what happened.  Liz asks Chelsea “where’s the party girl?”  She wanted to do something different 4 days ago.

Danny tells Sam about a letter she received from a school girl thanking her for reading to them.  Danny says she received letters from a South Bronx school within the last 2 weeks.  Sam thinks maybe the dead girl went to school there.

19 Hours Missing

Her former sixth grade teacher, Mrs MacPherson, at the Phillips Academy tells them she was here yesterday.  She tells themChelsea she wasn’t a brat.  Chelsea gave $100,000 to the girl’s brother by way of an apology.  He was angry and called it “blood money”.  She left it in the mailbox.  Chelsea gave her the letters so she could help other girls like her.  She suggested Chelsea should read to them as they idolize her.

23 Hours Missing

The voice on the Net asks her if she’s ever done anything of value and worthy of fame?  She doesn’t know.  Viv tells Martin there won’t be a live feed until her execution.  Sam calls Jack to tell him the dead girl’s name was Stacey Reinecker form Albany.  The name Reinecker rings a bell for Viv.  The driver called a Doug Reinecker (Joshua Harto) 2 days ago.  The sketch matches his photo.

24 Hours Missing

The driver tells Danny and Jack Doug planned this, he’d ask for a ransom and they’d share it.  He followed him and gave him the $10,000.  In return he told them where they’d be.  Doug told him about Stacey and he wanted to make things right.  He didn’t want to know where Doug would take Chelsea.

36 Hours Missing

Sam wonders how the votes are swinging back so fast.  Danny asks if anyone knows what the real count is.  Viv says someone is fixing it.  Danny suggests it could be the kidnapper.  Sam asks why he doesn’t just kill her?  Danny replies he needs justification.  They narrow the votes down to Albany County with a population of about 200,000.  76% are in favour of death.  Danny says there’s a total of 427,000 votes all coming from the same place; Microjava Internet Café.

ALBANY, NEW YORK
37 Hours Missing

They show Doug’s photo around the café.  Viv says there’s a wireless connection to an unknown source.  Jack tells them they’re looking for a building pre 1970’s, which are most of them there.  Sam calls him and tells him the final score: Die 56% and Live 44%.  He’s killing her.  She tells him there’s a fan behind her, a window fan.  He cuts her wrists.  They find a fan in the window of one of the buildings and search it.  Viv keels over with pain.  Danny notices a light.  Danny and Jack tie her wrists with their ties and Danny holds them down.  Viv tells Martin to go after Doug.  Martin asks her if she’s okay.  She needs a few minutes.

Outside the press take photos of Chelsea and Doug.  One woman reports they’re uncertain as to his motivation.
As to Doug’s motivation, it’s apparent from the end that prima facie it appears he wanted revenge as Martin says in the beginning; but by the way he was looking at all the cameras at the end, it’s clear he craved attention and clearly enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame.  Remember what he told Chelsea to say, about not existing unless she’s on camera, well that’s what it looks like he’s doing too.

You could’ve been mistaken for thinking you were watching a famous celebrity in Chelsea Prince, someone along the lines of a teen star.

Danny finds the missing person again, in distress, this time with Jack.  They’ve all been on camera now, so much for going undercover in later episodes!  They got onto the case quick smart after she’d only been missing an hour.  probably pressured cos she was a celebrity.

Jack: I didn’t interrupt a big date or anything?”
Sam: “No, just an intense game of solitaire.”  A likely story, do you think that was just a passing comment from Jack or is he curious to know what’s happening with her?

Martin: “We could make a sextape.  Post it online here, then you wouldn’t have to tell anybody about us.”
Sam: “Cute.”  Er, no, we’ve already been subjected to that re the season opener!

Viv clearly doesn’t like the sort of attention Chelsea receives from young girls and definitely not her being the centre of attention.

Of course the other problems Martin mentions in The Ukraine were the elections and the new president.
The pulsating light was from the fan of course, but would’ve been too easy if we found that out already.

Viv: “looks like our beauty queen grew a conscience.  I wonder why?”
Danny: “come on Viv, she’s just a young girl with too much money and no one to look after her.”
Viv: “That’s no excuse.”
That’s true many people find themselves alone but don’t have money to fall back on.
Danny and Viv are the only ones who actually form  an opinion or part of an opinion about Chelsea; with Viv playing the strict disciplinarian saying she’s spoilt which she is.

As for Danny checking Chelsea’s hotel room for letters, wouldn’t her room have already been searched?

Also the publication of her book and the make-up collection is true to life where celebrities and a bunch of wannabee celebrities bring out endless products and endorsements to boost their net worth.

Viv now has a photo of herself with her husband on her desk now.
Martin is right when he correctly assumes it’s the man from the book store.

Jack: “If he’s conscious, he’s ready to talk.”  Obviously the driver had a lot to hide as he can’t get his story right.  If he had been held up by a gun, chances are he wouldn’t be left alive to tell the police.

Danny says he needs justification before he kills her but in a roundabout way he’s the one fixing the votes to get this justification , so as Sam said he could’ve just killed her anyway, which he tries to.
The part where Danny commented perhaps he’s voting himself to increase the tally on the Net, and then he goes on to say he needs justification before he can kill Chelsea: that didn’t make sense – if you think about it, albeit in a roundabout way – if he’s the one rigging the voting then he doesn’t need to justify his actions as he’s going to decide’already, has decided the outcome anyway: that he’s going to kill her regardless.

When he’s paraded” in front of the press he’s clearly lavishing in his 15 minutes of fame and lapping it all up: which makes you think did he want all this to begin with rather than revenge for his sister, i.e kidnap someone famous, get some glory.

Couldn’t they have downloaded the image of her and pan across to see what pulsating light was, i.e the fan as they did that in the missing boy episode of CSI:NY season 1 episode 2 American Dreamers when Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo)) took the CCTV tape and panned across to the man re the guitar.  But then he used the NTSC image from the tape which probably works on a different principle to the Net.  But there's lots of technology.
Oh I always used to remark on the character names in CSI:NY and Without A Trace, there was Danny Taylor in this and in NY, we got Danny and Taylor, for Mac's (Gary Sinise) last name.

At least Danny and Viv actually commented about Chelsea’s life whereas Sam was strangely quiet.

The Closer 7.20 "Armed Response" Review

The Major Case squad are called to the scene of a shooting but turns out there is no officer down.  Provenza (GW Bailey) tells Flynn (Tony Denison) they're still taking the case Kendall (Ransford Doherty) says the shooter shot the Vic in the face.  Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) tells him a woman saw a man on the lawn but she's been drinking.  DDA Baldwin (Amanda Mason Warren) arrives at the CS.  The Vic had a gun.  Provenza is ruling it a murder.  Pope (JK Simmons) wants Baldwin here and Provenza tells her to "stand over there."

Tao (Michael Paul Chan) finds the Vic called in a suspicious report of a possible break in.  Where they find sleeping bags and other items.  Including "biological evidence" in the bathroom as Tao calls it.  Buzz (Phillip P Keene) thinks that's disgusting.  Luke (Scott Michael Foster) left behind his iPod.  Baldwin proceeds to give them orders which Provenza objects to.  The security guard was a war hero, at which point Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) arrives and tells them, "...shot down on the streets of Los Angeles.  Doesn't seem right at all."  Harking back to the entire Tyrell case once more and the shootings of some soldiers, which led to the whole sorry debacle of the lawsuit against her.

Timely mention as this is the episode where the leak is discovered and how Tyrell rears his ugly head again.  She thanks everyone for the food, flowers and cards they sent.  Brenda needs to think about all that later.  Caroline (Jane Carr) bought the iPod and Raydor (Mary McDonnell) asks if Brenda is taking the entire Division out with her.  Provenza asks who she wants left behind?  Pope speaks with Brenda and admits he made some compromises to keep Major Case, this included having DDA Baldwin here and making Taylor (Robert Gossett) Assistant Chief.  He was afraid if he told her about the compromises, she'd leave and be angry at him.  Well she already was that.

Raydor has worked out the leak but will need a bit more time.  Brenda requests SIS officers, patrol cars, as she needs to return the iPod. Caroline bought it for her grandson, Luke.  Who is arrested at the shoe store.  Raydor watches everyone in the Tech room.  He was with his underage girlfriend Jenna, (Kira Sternbach) don't know about you, but Jenna didn't look underage to me, ha.  She had a key.  Provenza advises Tao to ask Jenna if he should being her in with or without her father?

Raydor wants Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) to  see Pope, with her leaving Brenda to wonder if Gabriel is the leak.  Gabriel doesn't know what the meeting is about.  Raydor is sorry he must deal with things this way.    Turns out his girlfriend, Anne (Shanti Lowry) is the leak.  Should have known they'd come up with something like this, especially since it could never have been someone from the squad (re the new show, Major Case).  But she was only introduced a few episodes ago and we only saw her once.  She was paid for info by Goldman who paid off her student loan.  Raydor recalled she gives Gabriel her point of view on everything, including work.

Gabriel shared his doubts with her.  Anne joined the church which Taylor says was her plan.  Gabriel wasn't subpoenaed like everyone else.  As we were shown over several episodes, leaving everyone to wonder why, again thinking he could be the leak, even Sanchez though that.  Raydor wants his statement before he explains to Brenda et al.

They need to find where the gun went.  Fritz (Jon Tenney) shows up and wants to discuss where why he didn't bring her shoes for her.  She should go home if she's uncomfortable.  She can't go home yet and even thinks about moving.  Her mother isn't at the house, but Fritz tells Brenda she needs to be.

Jenna says her friend lived at the house and she had the key. Provenza refuses to listen to Sanchez about Gabriel being the leak.  Raydor understands that people discuss confidential work issues with significant others, Brenda does that all the time.  Gabriel waived his right to counsel to speak with Brenda.  Gabriel reminds her he spoke to her about Tyrell.  He was upset that day, even Sanchez will remember.  Brenda wanted him to come to her.

We knew Gabriel always had strong feelings as to how Brenda ran things and wasn't always happy, shown by the times he went behind her back to Pope, etc, to complain about her methods.  Also I said before a few episodes ago, that Gabriel could be a likely suspect in being the mole since he has a strong relationship with Brenda, being one of the first ones to accept her when she arrived in season 1.  Then I changed my mind for the very same reason, he would have been too obvious.

Gabriel tells the others and how he mentioned other occasions of dissatisfaction too.  Where he felt the spirit of the law wasn't perfectly upheld.  He wasn't the leak but he was the source, as Flynn tells him.  Provenza wants Flynn to let Gabriel finish.  Provenza, Taylor, Tao, Buzz all accept his apology, and so does Flynn reluctantly, then tells him he should transfer.  Sanchez doesn't even acknowledge him.

The gun is found at Jenna's house and Pope says she can claim self defence.  DDA Baldwin needs two confessions.  Bateman (Matt Malloy) doesn't answer any questions.  Jenna told him Danny tried to rape her.  Which was a lie, so he shot him.  Brenda tells Jenna about mitigating circumstances and she was protecting Luke.  She says he was holding the gun in his right hand.  Brenda adds the State of California will treat her like an adult, which she doesn't get.  She says "cool."  Flynn adds "way cool."

Gabriel resigns.  Brenda doesn't want him to quit but he says Tyrell ruined his life.  Brenda knew Gabriel was upset and apologizes.  She ignores people she cares about and she's responsible for it all.  Brenda goes home with Fritz.  She needs a minute with her mother, but she's not here.  Brenda meaning she ignored her mother and now she's gone.  She did the same thing to Gabriel too.  Also does that to Fritz a lot.

Brenda: " Last time I saw mama, she asked me if I had a minute and I didn't have time just then.  And now I'm the one who could really use a minute...and she has no time at all."  One more episode to go...

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Downton Abbey Series 3 Episode 6 Review

No actual scenes of Sybil's funeral but the episode began straight after.  Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) still blames Robert (Hugh Bonneville) for not listening to Dr Clarkson (David Robb).  Thus their marriage was still in pieces and Cora refused to let Robert back into their marital bed.  This led to the Dowager (Maggie Smith) intervening and practically asking Dr Clarkson to reach the point of no return by telling the Crawley's that Sybil would have died anyway and could not be saved.  Of course only after he had gathered all the evidence and research to prove this was medically viable.  Never let it be said that the Dowager would actually stoop to allowing anyone to blatantly lie.

I thought this was an affront to Sybil's memory really and what all the family had endured, especially Branson (Allen Leech) when they had so much hope if she had the Cesarean that she could have been saved.  It just showed that Robert, the man, lord and master was right once again and that he had nothing to feel guilty about, except only grieve for his daughter.  Also giving that pompous doctor a green light for making life and death decisions without having the necessary insight or medical expertise to do so.

At breakfast Edith (Laura Carmichael) brought up the question of the christening and having the Anglican reverend round to discuss it.  Branson being adamant he wants to name the baby Sybil and christen her a Catholic, being Irish.  Leading to yet more outrage for Robert.  However this was not the end of his woes, since Matthew (Dan Stevens) is still 'hounding' him as Robert would put it about the affairs of Downtown and how it has been left to fall to smithereens, financially.

Matthew showed Branson the rundown farm with Branson admitting he's from a line of farmers.  Do we think he may be sticking around to go into farming?  That would give the Dowager plenty to talk about, from chauffeur to farmer.  Mary (Michelle Dockery) firmly sides with Branson on the issue of the christening since Sybil wanted it that way. She loved Branson and was happy for the baby to be a Catholic.

Isobel (Penelope Wilton) invites the Crawley women to luncheon and that includes the Dowager, who invites herself really since Isobel didn't see her sitting on the sofa when inviting Cora.  Isobel isn't game for Ethel (Amy Nuttall) to cook though and wants her only to prepare some cold meats and salad.  Leaving Ethel to beg for help from Mrs Patmore (Leslie Nichol) re cooking tips.  As you know Carson (Jim Carter) having banned the staff from the house, spies Mrs Patmore leaving.  Mrs Patmore asking if he thinks she'd be corrupted by Ethel.

The ladies attend and enjoy the meal until Robert is told of this by Carson, who thinks it's his duty to forever interfere in such affairs and interrupts, fury in his eyes and his tone.  Cora and the others refuse to leave when he asks them and the Dowager commenting the dessert looks good.

Downstairs the drama continues as Thomas (Rob James-Collier) can't keep his hands to himself, making James feel even more uncomfortable and O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) enjoying every moment of it.  Ivy (Cara Theobold) can't get enough of James who doesn't want anything to do with her and Albert (Matt Milne) wants Ivy who is hated by Daisy (Sophie McShera).  As Mrs Patmore says they've all got feelings for the wrong people.  Daisy thinks she has a chance with Albert when he asks her to teach him the Foxtrot, until she learns it's just to impress Ivy. Daisy gets an offer to work on the farm with Mason (Paul Copley) wanting to leave it to her when he dies.  He doesn't think houses like Downtown will survive forever.

Bates (Brendan Coyle) manages to threaten Craig (Jason Furnival) that unless he and Durrant (Neil Bell) stay put of his business, he'll go to the governor and tell them they're bringing in drugs and wanted him involved.  Mrs Bartlett changes her story after Murray (Jonathan Coy) threatens her with police action.  Thus allowing Bates to be freed.  News which Robert finds pleasing.  Seems the Dowager's ploy works and upon hearing Clarkson's news Robert and Cora both manage to reconcile.

Seemed a bit of a filler episode with many issues covering old ground, the christening, the love triangle and Robert and Cora being so easily brought together again.  It would have been better if he had been left out in the cold a little longer, especially since he couldn't admit his real feelings over Sybil's passing to Cora, like the analogy with the rose, her favourite flower and it's in bloom, but he can't tell her that; with Mary encouraging him to tell Cora all this.  It seemed hurried and rushed.  Though the line with the rose, or not being bale to tell Sybil he saw something funny in the paper, ensures the audience is still on Robert's side as far as a grieving father goes.

Same thing with Bates being released with Murray and Anna (Joanne Froggatt) having to do very little, seems Bates and his bully tactics saved his bacon.  The issue of Edith's job at the paper was raised and Cora once again stated that Robert refuses to move with the times.  Also finding fault with naming the baby Sybil, which he considers "ghoulish."  Of course he would name her after her mother, she's all he has left of her.  The Dowager at luncheon, commenting how Ethel has an 'outfit for every occasion.' When Robert was debating, one-sidedly, the 'virtues' of being in the same house with a fallen woman.

The Vampire Diaries 4.1 "Growing Pains" Review

A voiceover now accompanies season 4:
Stefan: "Mystic falls.  I was born here. This is my home."
Damon: "And mine."
Elena: "And mine."
Stefan: "For centuries supernatural creatures have lived among us."
Caroline: "There are vampires, werewolves, doppelgangers."
Bonnie: "Witches."
Klaus: "And even hybrids."
Bonnie: "There are those who protect them."
Jeremy: "And those who want them dead."
Elena: "They're our friends."
Klaus: "Our enemies."
Elena: "The ones we love."
Klaus: "And the ones we've lost."
Elena: "And then there is me.  I'm human.  At least I was."

Elena (Nina Dobrov) is pulled out from the accident and wakes to ask if Matt is alive.  Damon (Ian Somerhalder) suggests she should ask Stefan (Paul Wesley) "the hero."  Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) finds out at the hospital that Meredith (Torrey DeVitto) used vampire blood to heal Elena.  Stefan thinks Bonnie (Kat Graham) could still help.  Damon however thinks Elena should feed and complete the transition, "feed or die."  Elena strongly rejects this, she can't "be a vampire."
Damon: "your choice Elena, as always."  Meaning she'll always choose Stefan over him and she'll always get her her own way.  Stefan regrets the choice he made to save Matt (Zach Roerig) and now he regrets it and needs to fix it.

Jeremy needs his sister and not another vampire.  Bonnie feels the witches may be able to help like they helped him.  Elena experiences heightened emotions of going through the motions of becoming a vampire. The same emotions she asked Stefan about in season 3?? when they spoke of her becoming a vampire, she decided she wanted to grow up an  live and get past her birthday.  In the same way Caroline (Candace Accola) didn't have a choice when she became a vampire too.  Now she'll always be 18 and Elena won't grow older either.  Klaus (Joseph Morgan) is still in Tyler's (Michael Trevino) body and Bonnie can't put him back into his own dessicated body.

Pastor Young (Michael Reilly Burke) arrives at the hospital to find blood is missing.  Alaric told him everything.  Matt feels guilty about Elena and Caroline is a fugitive and reminds him of this.  Carol Lockwood (Susan Walters) is arrested and the sheriff (Marguerite MacIntyre) no longer has a badge, even when she pleads that Young doesn't know what he's getting into.  Young has all the vervain.  Elena can't eat food and is sick at the sight of it, she craves blood.  Stefan made the right decision cos if he saved her then Matt would be dead.  Adding they will "cross that bridge when they come to it."  Inadvertently using that phrase of course.  Well she's already been over that bridge. She laughs uncontrollably and then cries.

Elena recalls Damon giving her back her necklace and she recalls everything.  He tells her something once: that he loves her, he's not selfish with her but she can't do this.  Damon doesn't deserve her but Stefan does.  He compels her to forget.

Damon sneaks up on Rebekah (Claire Holt) and tells him he knows "better than to sneak up on a lady."
Damon: "...can you see one?"  Damon tries to stake her. Klaus rescues Caroline  from the van and Caroline thinks Tyler really is alive, which he is, but it ain't him.  He leaves Rebekah behind.  Damon asks why Matt got to live. Young tells Elena about her parents coming up with this plan of holding them here and Caroline finally realizes it's not Tyler after kissing him and contemplating much more in her undies!

Bonnie tells Jeremy Elena's spirit still exits on both sides, if she can stop her heart then she can find Elena and bring her back.  Bonnie has new sources of power.  Matt thinks they could be at the cattle ranch.
Bonnie dies after the spell is complete and joins Elena in her cell.  Grams (Jasmine Guy) breaks the connection.  Bonnie must keep away from "the sword of darkness."  The magic she is using is too dark and the spirits will make her suffer.  Stefan is shot in his cell.

Klaus begins to rip out Tyler's heart form his body unless Bonnie helps him.  Stefan regrets Elena not feeding in the morning and she tells him it's cos he still had hope.  She was returning for Stefan and that's why she was on the bridge: she chose him.  Damon bites Matt when they arrive at the ranch as they need bait.  He wants to exchange him for Stefan and Elena.

Bonnie can't stop the magic and she can't let her go, she made her choice and Grams is being punished.  Elena feeds on the guard after Stefan knocks him out.  Damon tries to kill Matt and Elena stops him as  a vampire.  Stefan saved Matt at the bridge but he wasn't his first choice, so he must "get to live with that."  Elena put her life before him.

Elena recalled Damon's compulsion, that Damon met Elena first.  He should have saved Elena on the bridge, not Matt.  Damon wanted her to have a life, to grow up and yes he was being selfish (but that's just Damon so there's nothing new in that.)

Klaus wants to move on and Rebekah takes his blood bags, squeezing the blood out.  She loves him through everything and Klaus says he doesn't care, she means nothing.

Stefan and Elena atop of a roof, the counsel knows who they are and so everything's changed.  Stefan comments Damon will have a revenge plan for that.  She will crave blood and feel pain.  She will get to live and be with Stefan forever.  Bonnie made a daylight ring for her.  As Stefan says they'll take it "one day at a time."  Young tells everyone of the vampires escaping and turns on the gas, blowing everyone up.  They will reunite in eternity.  Is this Damon's revenge plan, compelling him to do that, the witches, Bonnie's black magic, or just Pastor Young.

Perhaps this episode should have been entitled Elena's Choice(s).  Her choosing Stefan was nothing new, knew that was bound to happen since last season, which is good, cos Damon and Elena as a couple just wouldn't have worked.  They are just completely different. Damon will always be Damon and won't get past who he is, it's always about his need for revenge and the need to always bring out the worst in people, and to hurt them cos he gets hurt.  Retribution, retaliation and the need to cause misery.  Then again he wasn't being selfish when he compelled her to choose Stefan.  Thinking she wouldn't recall this, cos he had no idea she would turn into a vampire.  On the other hand Damon was being selfish when he said what he did at the ranch.

Didn't know if this was a good path to go down, specially since that talk Stefan and Elena had about her choices and Elena wanting to live in 3.20 The Last Day when Damon tried to turn her into a vampire to save her life.  Which is exactly what happened now anyway.  Yet becoming one will bring her more closer to Stefan, they'll never be apart for one thing, not in the immediate future anyway.  Also she will always retain her humanity.

Klaus as Tyler pulled in some laughs, especially the call from his mother, "that incessant woman" and having to sound like Tyler when talking with her.  Then trying to get one over on Caroline in the woods.  Elena feeling for fangs practically every minute.

Destination Star Trek London Convention Part 1: My Day

Many hoards of Trekkies descended to the Excel Centre in London, where the Star Trek Convention was in full swing from 19-21 October 2012.  Their dedication was recognizable from their costumes, decked out in full Star Fleet attire, from all five shows. I, however, had chosen not to dress for the occasion.  Agh that sounds like I didn't wear a stitch of clothing, which I assure you I did.

I must confess, my prime directive for attending was to meet my fave star, Scott Bakula, who played Captain Jonathan Archer from my fave series Enterprise for four years.  Only four! Granted many will not agree with me, but to each his/her own.  Thought it was about time I went to one and as they say, it was now or never.  Got to have my photo taken, share a few hurried words with him and I got my hug. Yay!! Just love him to bits.

Then it was off to the Captain's Talk, again with Scott.  Which was meant to last 45 minutes long, but we were only given 40 minutes.  That was interesting when Scott was doing the talking but not so with some of the questions asked.  The time could have been better spent if the questions were not only shorter, but if some weren't off topic and downright ridiculous.  By the time the moderator, aka bloke with mike, got round to where we were sitting, time had run out and the fans on this side couldn't ask questions, except one.  How unfair was that?  At least Scott wanted fans to get a chance to ask on this side of the stage.  Showing how generous and kind he really is.  At least he didn't treat or separate fans according to what they had paid for their tickets!!

Apparently the stage was lit with blue lighting, wonder if they trying to create a Quantum Leap aura, when Sam would leap he'd be surrounded by blue light.

As soon as the talk began, Scott treated us to a few lines of Dulcinea from Man of La Mancha.  Video recordings were forbidden but as soon as he said he was going to sing, out came all the iPhones, vid cameras and everyone had their fingers poised on the record button.

Questions ranged from "Where is Sam Beckett now? Scott's character from Quantum Leap.  I mean, really, were you watching the show at all?  He never returned home, so he's still out there.  Even Scott seemed peeved at that, seeing as Sam wasn't getting his just 'dues' for helping people.

Scott thought they played Enterprise as they were in the Wild West, there were no rules.  As for which Star Trek show was the best, Scott; "our show was the best."  I concur.  He thought the scripts in the second season of the show "were better as did the work [get better]...if you go back and look at it which I know you guys never do."  If they had another season, "it would have been fun to go back there and do another musical."  It's cos he's also a great singer as well as actor and sings in most everything he does, or tries to.

There was one on his character on Desperate Housewives being called Trip, re the name of his Chief Engineer Charles Trip Tucker.  Scott replied he was meant to appear on the show for a long time but the seasons kept going by and then he finally got the chance in the last season.  He asked if they were fine with him playing it and they thought it was cool.  It was a "nod to Connor, but I didn't play him as Connor [Trineer]."

Even hinting that he may not be dead on Chuck and could still return.  "...people think I'm dead on Chuck - but you never know."  Some of his upcoming projects include a role on Law and Order SVU playing a bad guy, hey we don't care!  As well as Behind the Candelabra, a movie about Liberace, played by Michael Douglas.

Great interaction with his fans, at least he didn't sit on the chair that was provided for him, which would have made him seem elusive and unapproachable.  He's not like that.  He has immense respect and admiration for his fans, it's the fans who make the show, otherwise he could just be an actor in his own living room.  As he said, his "...whole career on TV was because of Quantum Leap and made it around the world [the show] because of fans.  I never forget why I'm here, I'm a wonderful actor inside my own house by myself, but we need each other."  So sweet and modest!

I'm really glad I went and was a part of a little bit of Star Trek history.  Scott made my day, well year...!!

I wanted to share some moments on this blog with you, cos I would hope that if I couldn't go, someone else would do the same. Enjoy.


My general review of the other guests attending and events taking place there will follow in Part 2.

Merlin 5.3 "The Death Song of Uther Pendragon" Review

Arthur (Bradley James) and Merlin (Colin Morgan) on a usual hunt out of the castle, hear screams from a woman.  Arthur investigates and Merlin, once again, tries to dissuade him from doing so.  They chance upon an old woman who is being burnt at the stake and save her.  Arthur refuses to believe she was involved in magic and as a result of saving her life, even if she is at death's door, she gives Arthur a horn.  This can summon the 'spirits of the dead.'  That was either timely or ill-timed, seeing as it turns out to be the anniversary of Uther's (Anthony Head) death.  Or rather, someone decided it was time they brought back Anthony head, to play a ghostly spirit.

To use the horn Arthur drags Merlin along, despite his protestations to a set of ruins, (resembling Stone Henge). Aka the Great Steps of Nemeton.   He steps inside the dead spirit's world and Uther tells him of his disappointment in the young Pendragon.  He hates the decision's he's made, making commoners knights, marrying a servant girl.  He thinks Camelot is no longer strong.  Uther steps away from Arthur leaving Arthur in tears and Arthur takes a last look behind him.

At Camelot during a meeting of the Round Table, the chandelier falls onto the table.  Elsewhere candles go out and there are gusts of wind.  Percival (Tom Hopper) is also attacked by an axe, which Arthur puts down to being an accident.  Merlin has no choice but reveal all to Gaius (Richard Wilson) making him angry.  Merlin explains he tried to stop Arthur.  Gaius believes Uther's spirit has been released.

Merlin visits Arthur, as he looks at the horn and then throws fruit onto the floor, so he can hide the horn under the bowl.  He refuses to let Merlin touch the bowl, even when he makes a grab for it.  Merlina asks if Arthur turned and looked back at Uther as he was leaving and this he says has allowed Uther's spirit to escape into the world of the living.

Cue funny moment when Gwen (Angel Coulby) is now the focus of Uther's attack and is dragged across the floor by him.  She runs to the kitchen and is knocked out.  Merlin rushing to save her as a fire ensues.  Arthur must now listen to Gaius and accept that Uther's spirit is rife and he must do what Gaius says in order for it to return.  Gaius concocts a potion for them to drink and Arthur wants Merlin to drink it first just to see if it's safe.  Merlin does so and Arthur follows suit with Merlin neglecting to tell him that it tastes vile.

They head out for their search of Uther and come across Leon (Rupert Young).  Merlin tells him he's discussing poetry with Arthur, who is forced to say he loves poetry and ruin his reputation as a macho man/king.  Uther refuses to bow down and return and is even intent on going after Merlin.  Arthur finds Uther on his throne where he once again riles him for marrying Gwen, whom Arthur describes as wise and strong, he values her counsel.  Uther knocks Arthur out and is about to attack him when Merlin arrives.  He uses his magic to stop Uther.  Who is surprised, "you have magic."

Have it and has had it since his time at Camelot.  He replies he "was born with it."  Merlin pushes Uther away with his hand and he flies through the door.  He's still around though and finally pins Merlin to the wall with two spears.  This time Arthur comes to his rescue and blows the horn, just as Uther is about to reveal Merlin has magic.

 Uther tells Arthur he is too trusting of people which is what I said last episode.  Yet Arthur is determined to be his own king and his own man.  He doesn't want to rule Camelot like Uther did and he makes his feelings known.

Merlin and Arthur display yet more 'horseplay' at the end as Merlin tells Arthur he should stop hitting him.  Arthur replies he doesn't and it's just some fun.  Thus Merlin slaps him with Arthur's glove, it's 'horseplay.'  Uther is still the same king he was at Camelot, even as a spirit, he is still abrupt and condescending of Arthur and condemning of Merlin for having magic.  At no point does he make Arthur feel loved, even if Arthur tells him he loves and respects him, but he doesn't want to be him.

He doesn't have one kindly word for his son and yet he wants to remain here as if he can rule over the kingdom still, or instill some sense of his own counsel into Arthur.  Anthony Head always portrayed Uther with flare and dramatically and he still shows this trait.  Even as a spirit he remains calm yet commanding.  It was good to see him return.  Still as stern as ever.  Making you wonder how he is doing in the spirit world, or the afterlife.  This episode makes it look like he is in pain or torment and his soul is not at peace.  Perhaps his soul is, but not his spirit.

No Morgana this episode but you'd have thought she would have been the target of his revenge and anger instead of his own son.  Arthur appears to accept magic is afoot at Camelot in his father's spirit returning and has to take Gaius's advice in returning him from whence he came.  He also is reluctant to believe the woman who was being burnt at the stake was a witch or held any magic whatsoever in his endeavour to save him.  Yet the very thing she gives him as reward is powerful and magical in itself.  To the point that Arthur can't resist the temptation to use the horn and summon Uther.  Clearly the timing for him was right being a year since Uther died.

Merlin continues to impress this season with its seasoned storytelling, taking it to a new mature level and yet the humour and banter between Arthur and Merlin is still as heightened as ever.  They respect each other mutually as shown by Merlin telling him once again how good a king he is and how many people think so, even Merlin, his loyal servant and though he hates to admit it at times, his trusted friend.

CSI:Miami 10.14 "Last Straw" Review

 A stray horse runs in front of a car.  Ryan (Jonathan Togo) is at the scene and Calleigh (Emily Procter) arrives when Ryan is trying to calm the horse down.  The saddle has blood on it.  Calleigh asks for a mint from him to calm the horse down. Proving she's a horse whisperer, also as she's spent time around horses as in a previous Miami ep.  The blood is all around the ropes and this leads Ryan to find a dead woman near the fence.  Horatio (David Caruso) arrives at the CS and they find she was hung with a lunge line.  Horatio knows she suffered and now the killer will also suffer.  This being Horatio's usual line now.

Horatio and Natalia (Eva La Rue) arrive at the ranch to see the owner, Joanna (Bo Derek).  The Vic was Cassidy (Candace Moon) and she boarded her horse here.  Elle (Jill Flint) her daughter takes care of the clients.  Elle doesn't know her personally or so she says and Natalia finds the lunge line.  ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) finds she was knocked out before she was hung and there are signs of sexual intercourse.  As Delko (Adam Rodriguez) finds a condom wrapper in the stable.  ME Tom also finds a hair on her leg, when analyzed reveals Mickey Quint (Travis Van Winkle).

He and Cassidy met at the stables and she liked it rough he tells Natalia.  He's also got a conviction for statutory rape.  Natalia tells him he's not here cos of the 'kink' but cos of the murder.  He was the last one to see her alive.

Natalia and Calleigh run forensics and Calleigh wants to check the rope,  Cassidy wore a sorority necklace, Phi, Gamma, Alpha.  Sam (Taylor Cole) and Ryan return to the stables and Ryan finds a half eaten burger outside.  She finds finds a bloody rock.  Ryan warns her of the snake which turns out to be the horse's crop.  Sam laughs at him and word has gotten to her about Ryan's reaction to the horse from earlier on.  The crop has the initials 'RP' which belong to Rachel Patrella (Tiffany Dupont).

Walter (Omar Miller) and Calleigh check out the sorority house and finds Rachel instructing girls on how to drink with a straw.  She lost her crop and wasn't at the stable until later on, she's going through a divorce, her husband being Mickey.  Mickey has an alibi but Horatio thinks he could have hired someone to kill her, as could have Rachel.  She claims not to have liked Cassidy.  They find Elle was also at the sorority ten years ago.  Elle didn't look like the type to fit in there.

Elle used to be picked on and made an object of humiliation and ridicule in front of the other girls.  Cassidy was president and her best friend was Rachel.  Elle admits to wishing Cassidy was dead, but only in her dreams.  Rachel attends a spa and gets into a tanning chamber.  Where someone turns up the UV and cuts off her oxygen supply, locking her in beforehand.  Ryan and Walter think she was cooked to death, but ME Tom corrects them, she died of lack of oxygen which is explained by her blue fingers.  The machine had duct tape around it so no oxygen could enter it.

The owner, Liam Flynn (Michael Lombardi) has an arrest record and is more worried about losing business.  He was arrested for locking the sorority girls in their dorm and setting off the fire alarm.  He hated them since they forced Elle to break up with him and in flashback you can see the humiliation she underwent.  Elle came to him to apologize for breaking up with him, but he's not interested since he's moved on.  Why did she apologize now.  He thinks it's perhaps cos they had a ten year reunion recently.

Horatio and Walter return to the stable and Elle tells them about Liam but also she probably wanted to be part of the sorority even more.  Walter notices duct tape and she also has a bicycle but the lock is missing.  Elle is arrested and her mother tells her she'll be okay.  Her father Dan (James Eckhouse) arrives in an airport van and he promises to help her.  Horatio thinks he won't.

Joanna tells Calleigh about being in the sorority.  She was in the same one and thus she was a legacy.  They talk about the necklace found on Cassidy and she wouldn't wear one out horse riding.  It belongs to Elle.  She explains how Elle was humiliated and made fun of everytime the girls came to the stable.  Calleigh suggests the horse would have been brushed and Natalia finds some DNA on the brush after Ryan and Sam retrieve it.  This time Ryan works his magic on the horse feeding it a mint to calm it down, whilst Sam collects the evidence.

The DNA matches a male and Elle's father is questioned.  He tells them his flight landed at noon but in actual fact he arrived earlier.  The airport van was for show and he confesses his anger at Elle's treatment.  Elle calls Horatio to tell him she's nothing left to live for.  Strangely it's Horatio who rushes to the stable and the one what she calls.  Cos traffic was a breeze and he gets there in time to save her from killing herself by hanging herself.  Horatio suggests she should start over.  Wonder how many times he should have said that to himself.  If he didn't he should have.

Ironically at the start Horatio says that they're going to make the killer suffer as much as Cassidy.  In reality, Cassidy was the one who made others suffer and though hanging is not justification for all the hurt that she caused, remember the saying; "hangin's too good" but she did deserve the same kind of humiliation she made Elle suffer.  Once a bully, always a bully.  It is hard to believer why Elle stuck it out at that sorority other than the legacy aspect of it, she could have left there anytime, instead of putting herself through that torture.  To add insult to injury, the humiliation didn't end there but continued on and Elle had to live through that again.

As for the suffering, her father killed Cassidy and Rachel for her, what was the point of ending it all now, when he had already done the deed.  What a waste of his life, if Elle hadn't survived.  It would have been all for nothing, even if it wasn't the right thing to do. Thus the killer did suffer too at the torment his daughter underwent.

Calleigh showing once again how proficient she is with horses as this upside sees her get out of the lab more and get a bigger role.  Naturally, Calleigh would be the one to tell everyone about Ryan's handling of the horse.  No mention this episode of Ryan and his attraction to Sam or about the bracelet she was given by Delko.  Calleigh went horse riding in 7.13 And They're Offed.  Also once again it's Delko who finds some evidence in the stables.  Calleigh found evidence of drugs under the horse's bridle.  Here she noticed the blood on the ropes.  In 7.13 Calleigh's love of horses was revealed.

In the film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, one of the girls, Julie, was locked in a tanning chamber by a fisherman.

Without A Trace 3.14 "Neither Rain Nor Sleet" Review

A postal worker has a conversation with a colleague saying she doesn’t like video games and then disappears.

4 Hours Missing

Viv (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) drives up to the crime scene?? In tears.  The postal worker’s abandoned truck has been found: number 4281.  Sam (poppy Montgomery) tells her the missing woman’s name is Rosie Diaz (Elizabeth Pena).  She works at the Carpenter Street station and left this morning at 6:30 am.  Her truck was found 3 hours later.  The alley where it was abandoned isn’t on her route.  She was carrying the new video game Demon Storm and this was the only thing that was taken. Viv tells her Reggie plays it and if she didn’t let him play it, he’d only play it somewhere else.

5 hours Missing

Scott (Rob Moran) tells Danny (Enruque Murciano) that postal workers are mugged but not in this way.  Danny asks him how many video packages were on the truck: 316 worth $12,000.  He also asks if Rosie was having problems with any of her fellow workers and who knew what she was carrying?  The postmaster and the sorting people knew but she never had been in trouble.  She used to date Scott and called it off as she had some issues to sort through.

Rosie was a foster mother and was fostering a brother and sister.  Becky (Hillary Tuck) the social worker tells Viv and Jack (Anthony LaPaglia) they’d been with her for 6 months: Shantel (Jowharah Jones) and Malcolm (Jessie Usher).  They were removed 3 days ago as they received a call complaining of abuse.  Shantel thought they were too much trouble for Rosie and that’s why she doesn’t want them anymore.  Rosie promised she’d do anything to make their life better and she loves them.  They never had any such previous calls about Rosie.  Jack wants to see the records of her other foster children.

Danny and Sam do the rounds to see if Rosie had delivered the mail.  Her car is also missing.  Martin (Eric Close) puts out and APB on it.  Sam comments that not every criminal is a mastermind and robbing her own truck and escaping in her own car isn’t a good plan.  Sam thinks she may have needed the money.  Martin says Rosie spent most of her money on the children.  Danny thinks she might be helping out one of her children.

Viv checks Shantel for signs of physical abuse.  Jack asks her what it was like living at Rosie’s for the last 7 months.  It was okay but she doesn’t know if she hit Malcolm.  She and Rosie fought about a week ago.  She was angry when Shantel took her training DVD from the shelf.  She said she’d have to pay for it if it broke.  Rosie doesn’t get angry and it was out of character.

8 Hours Missing

Martin finds the DVD under Rosie’s mattress.  The DVD contains kiddie porn.  Martin says the boy isn’t much older than her foster son.

10 Hours Missing

Danny questions why the children in the DVD didn’t tell anyone and it wasn’t made in her apartment.  Sam says none of them are her foster children.  Danny says she could make a fortune.  One of her former foster children, Luis (Jon Huertas) says Rosie wouldn’t let anyone hurt her children.  He saw her 2 nights ago when he was going to babysit.  Luis told her she couldn’t disappoint anyone.  He’s happy and better off because of her.  Danny asks him what Rosie meant by “long shadows” as he thinks she probably meant something else by this.

He wonders why Rosie would have the DVD if she’s not into porn.  Sam suggests she may have suspected someone at work.  So Danny says the call about the abuse was a threat for her to back off.  She could be accused of mail tampering among other things.

Viv receives a personal call.  Jack asks if anyone brought any video cameras into the house.  Malcolm has a relapse and withdraws.

11 Hours Missing

One of the people on Rosie’s route, King (Bob Morrisey) is on the sexual predators list.  Danny comments call him old-fashioned but someone like King getting porn in the mail isn’t a good thing.  He tells them the girl told him she was 17.  Martin tells him she was 15.  Rosie brought a friend with her and asked him where the DVD came from?  Her friend knocked him to the ground.  She apologized a few days later.  Danny tells Sam that King’s porn is legal.  He also asks her about her and Martin.  Danny faxed the sketch to the post office and no one recognizes the mystery man.  Shantel doesn’t either.  Jack asks her if it’s possible Malcolm is withdrawn because he saw something traumatic..  She tells him he had a nightmare about someone being in the house. About 5-7 days ago.  She’d forgotten he used to have nightmares.

13 Hours Missing

Viv puts a receiver on Shantel as she speaks with Malcolm.  Jack tells her to ask if he recognizes the man in the sketch.  He tells her someone came to the house and argued with Rosie, demanding money.  She gave him $900, everything she had after selling her car. And even Shantel’s DSS cheque.  Malcolm pulled a gun on him.  He’d had the gun in the closet for a long time. Rosie told him he was her brother..

Sam doesn’t find any information on her brother or whether she had any other family.  Sam wonders why she hid him.  Sam tells Martin he wasn't to tell everybody about them but decides not to talk about it.  Someone mailed a DVD to their brother in Vegas it had the original tracker on it.  He bought it form a man at Bronzdale and Whiteplains subway entrance.  Ryan (Pat Healey) tells them Marquez sold them.  He only has his phone number.

14 Hours Missing

Danny finds Rosie’s brother.  They found the man who bought her car.  There was a photo on the visor on the back it said:  Rosie 17, Manny 7 1978 .  Martin says that makes him about 32 or 33.  Sam says the palm trees in the photo mean it could be Florida.  Martin gets the photo analyzed by Tech to read the number plate.

27 Hours Missing

She sees Rosie once a year.  Danny needs her help to find Manny.  She tells him he’s dead when Rosie was 17.  She wanted the family to stay together.  He was killed by a car, Rosie told her he didn’t see it coming.  She didn’t watch many for her.  Her mother told her she should’ve left their step-father and so she wouldn’t be in prison now.  Her other son is called Jorge Hernandez (Lombardo Boyer).

Sam doesn’t find a death certificate for Manny Diaz or Hernandez.  She says no autopsy would be carried out on an 8 year old hit on the street.  Martin gets a call from the Miami register about a mall being built where the family lived.  They found the remains of a 7 year old boy with evidence of blunt force trauma.

29 Hours Missing

Shantel shows Malcolm 4 photos of men named Jorge Hernandez.  He picks the right one.  Sam checked out Ryan, he knew Jorge.  He tells them he only brought he games and left Rosie an Jorge with the truck.  He only paid him $6,000 and not $10,000 so Jorge was angry.  He gambles and was $5,000 short.  He plays at an underground club.

Rosie confronted Jorge saying he called and had her children removed.  He went to the ATM for more money but she told him she doesn’t have anymore.  She got out of the car and told him she’s been helping him for 25 years since Manny died.  He didn’t meant to kill him.  Rosie walked away and he shot her in the back.  Viv tells him Rosie gave him everything.  Rosie is in the park.  Viv tells Shantel there’ll probably be a funeral for her.  When she’s 17 she should come and see her and she’ll see if she can help Malcolm stay with Shantel.

Jack tells Viv to go home.  He asks if he can help her in any way?  Viv has a flashback to her doctor.  He tells her she’s got hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: deterioration of the heart muscle.  The  wall between the ventricles is enlarged and obstructing the blood flow.  He gives her medication to begin with.  The condition is serious and may have killed her uncle.  It’s hereditary so she needs to get Reggie checked out too.  Viv receives a call from work.  Cut to Viv crying in the car at the start.

This episode was all about secrets: Sam and Martin, Danny finding out about them, though he suspected something from episode 6.  Viv and her fate, we finally get to see she’s suffering from a heart condition so more secrets for her to keep from everyone until episode 16/17 when Sam finds out, by accident.

Also Rosie and her brother, Manny’s death; keeping the real reason from her mother.  Her brother Jorge being just like her step father with his hereditary violent streak.  He killed his brother and she had to protect him, then in the end he killed her too.  Who’ll help him now?

Sam and Martin getting carried away like Danny wasn’t there, of course he’d ask what was going on.

Danny: “well I understand why it was hidden under the mattress.  Kiddie porn.”  Isn’t everything hidden under the mattress, or at least the bed anyway.

Danny: “Most kids that leave the system don’t look back.”  As he’s probably had a lot of experience dealing with such children in his line of work: also cf season 1 episode Little Big Man, when his friend Polly - social worker friend, deals with such children.

It’s good the way Danny’s so perceptive when it comes to the little things that suspects or people say that he picks up on when questioning them.  Like here he asks what Rosie meant by “long shadows” as obviously there was something more going on in her life than she told anyone.  The shadows referring to her brother Jorge and her brother Manny.  (See also Danny’s remark in episode 6 Nickel and Dimed about asking the woman at the hotel the for one thing "what’s the other,” line.)

Danny: “Well, we’d like you to come downtown and give us a sketch of that Puerto Rican.”

Danny: “So you and Marty seem, well you seem something.”
Sam: “yeah we are.”
Danny: “good.  It is good Sam.  Why are you hiding it?”  Saved by the bell.  They do that a lot in this.  Especially since you’d like to hear their reasons.  Eg season 2 episode 3 when Viv asks Danny about his real name and his phone rings, again!)  When did Danny begin calling Martin 'Marty?'

If Rosie had sold her car wouldn’t the new owner have to register it, so wouldn’t that come up on the system?  Malcolm pulling the gun on Jorge is exactly what he does to Rosie.

Sam: “You wanna tell everybody don’t you?”
Martin: “Sam you already know how I feel and now Danny’s asking.”  They don’t talk about it, no like it’s something they don’t need to talk about.  They do a lot of this, not talking that is.  Danny already knew anyway.

Why is Sam hiding it?  Is it because she doesn’t want Jack finding out?  Making judgements about her like not being able to find someone outside of work?  Afraid of what he’ll say.  Jorge not meaning to kill Manny just like he didn’t mean to shoot Rosie.

Jack: “I know that you think that I haven’t always been there for you and you’re right I haven’t; I’m here for you now.  If there’s anyway that I can help you?”
Viv: “This you can’t do anything about, but thanks.”  (No, I want my job back, under other circumstances.)

Pun in the title there, since the postal service is meant to deliver through this, but hey something always gets lost, including the postie who doesn't turn up until the late evening round here on most days!

Jon Huertas went on to Castle.